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Childcare Employment and Training Support (CETS) Scheme Details

Overview

The CETS programme is managed by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) on behalf of FAS and the VECs. FAS and the VECs, in conjunction with the Dept of Education and Skills, decide who is eligible and the main terms and conditions of the programme.

There are about 2,800 places in total available under the programme. These are divided between FAS and VEC parents, with full-time, part-time and afterschool places available.

The purpose of the programme is to benefit parents on eligible FÁS and VEC courses.

How it will work?

Most of the places will be allocated throughout the year as the need arises.

A number of childcare providers who were in the programme currently will get an initial allocation. All other providers who were accepted into the programme will get no allocation to begin with, but can apply for individual places as eligible parents seek places in their facility.

In addition to the terms and conditions set out in the contract, between the Childcare Service and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA), the following should be noted

  • Services offering VEC places under CETS must be open from Sept 2011 to at least 6th July 2012.
  • Services offering FAS places under CETS must be open the whole year around (except for one week at Christmas).
  • Services will not be paid for one week from Christmas to New Year.

Process for accessing CETS places

FAS and VECs will be sent a list of CETS services, and will be asked to advise qualified parents to contact CLCC for placement in childcare services.  Parents who qualify for the programme will be provided with an initial letter from FAS or the VEC detailing their eligibility.

The County Limerick Childcare Committee (CLCC) will try, where possible, to match qualified parents with services that have unused places among their allocations.  However, where this is not possible, they can identify services in contract which can provide suitable place(s), and submit these to the DCYA.

Under Government accounting rules, the DCYA must approve each place allocated by CLCC. The Dept will usually approve each request for a new place within one full working day and CLCC will then inform the parent or childcare provider.

Rates of Payment

The rates of payment for FAS and VEC services will be:
Full-time: €170 per week
Part time: €95 per week
Afterschool: €50 per week
Afterschool with pickup service: €95

In total, FAS places will be paid for a maximum of 51 weeks and VEC places will be paid for a maximum of 43 weeks.

Summary of the role of FAS/VEC in CETS September 2011

  • The DCYA will issue FAS/VEC the initial allocation list (list of childcare services approved from CETS)
  • FAS/VEC assess parents eligibility for a childcare place under the CETS Scheme
  • Eligible parents are issued a letter by FAS/the VEC confirming they are entitled to CETS. The letter should include the  following:
    • the name of the parent,
    •  the name of the eligible course,
    •  the start date and number of weeks of the course,
    •  confirmation that the parent is eligible for free childcare with the CETS scheme for the course,
    •  the type of childcare required - full-time, part-time or afterschool
  •  FAS/VEC advise parents to contact childcare service on the approved list (Allocation List) to request a place.

Summary of role of County Limerick Childcare Committee (CLCC)

  • Allocating additional places from a float, this will include being contacted by eligible parents & services, sending information to Dept and getting approval, informing parents & services of the success of their application
  • Collecting the attendance sheets that services complete with the parents and sending out new ones to the services

Summary of the role of the Parent

  • The eligible parent gets a letter from FAS / the VEC giving their entitlement to CETS and contacts a provider and / or the CLCC to get a suitable CETS place.
  • Once they start a course, the parent will provide a letter to the childcare service from FAS / VEC saying they have started the course.
  • The parent fills in a CETS Parent Declaration form and returns it to the Childcare Service who forward it to the Department
  • The parent signs an attendance sheet every week at the childcare service

Summary of the role of Childcare Providers

  • The provider applies to be in the CETS Scheme and signs and returns their contracts.
  • The provider might be included in the initial allocation or they may not; if not, they can look for a place for qualified parents as the need arises.
  • The provider keeps copies of letters from the parent confirming their eligibility and participation in courses.
  • The provider sends the CETS Parent Declaration form to the Department.
  • The provider gets the parent to sign the attendance sheet every week and sends it at the end of each term to the CLCC.

Summary of the role of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA)

  • Sends the Childcare Providers the draft contracts and co-signs the signed contracts and sends them back out to the childcare provider
  • Sends out the initial allocation list to the CLCC
  • Approves requests from the CLCC for additional places or swap existing places
  • Checks the PPS information in the CETS Parent Declaration forms to make sure children aren’t benefiting from several programmes at the same time
  • Provides the payment information to Pobal so childcare services can be paid
  • Maintains responsibility for finance, audit, terms and conditions etc of programme, on behalf of FAS and VEC.